One Road Only
by InnitMarvelous
Summary: When a German terrorist group kidnaps Ethan Stark, how far will Tony be willing to go to save his son's life? Please note that while this takes place in my Pepperony verse it's not completely a part of that verse.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm sorry, Mr.-"

"Special Agent Coulson."

"Special Agent Coulson," the spa lady whose name tag read **BRENDA** began again, "But it is against our policy to give out _any_ information on our clients, if they are indeed are our clients."

"So you won't even confirm that Mrs. Stark and her daughter are even here?"

"Of course not, sir! Now unless you're going to book some of our services for yourself or your lady friend-" Brenda replied, her eyes flashing in the direction of the nearby redhead, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave the premises."

"Miss, you don't understand. My team and I are here because we have reason to believe that the lives of Mrs. Stark and her daughter are in grave danger. We have information that they've been targeted for abduction after they leave your facility. It is important that I speak with Mrs. Stark immediately."

"I-"

"Miss, there is also a chance that the kidnappers may not wait until they leave to attempt the abduction. They may try to take them while they're here. Please, for their safety as well as that of everyone in this building, you must allow me to speak with Mrs. Stark."

Brenda sighed, "All right, let me go talk with the manager. Wait here please."

Coulson nodded, and waited for her to disappear before he motioned for the red headed agent to come over. "We can't wait for them to decide to allow us to talk to Mrs. Stark. I need you to find her and her daughter now."

Natasha nodded, "Yes, sir."

She donned on a client courtesy pink robe (not really her color) before slipping through a door that was clearly meant for spa personnel and clients only. Once inside she found traded the robe for an employee smock and began searching through the rooms as discreetly as she could. Two minutes, thirty-six seconds later she heard a child's voice.

"Mommy, I'm hungry!"

"We'll be having lunch after this, sweetheart. Won't we, Melissa?"

"Yes, I believe lunch is next on the agenda. Let me go check and make sure they've almost got lunch ready for you. I'll be right back."

Natasha waited for her to leave in a nearby alcove until she had disappeared down the hallway, and hurried into the room. She found mother and daughter reclined very comfortable looking chairs, clad in matching pink robes. Pepper's face was covered with a brown facial mask, and she had her eyes closed so she didn't see Natasha's entrance.

Eva stared at her for a moment before she shyly said, "Hi."

Pepper opened her eyes, "Natalie?"

"Natasha," she corrected.

"Right, Natasha. Don't tell me you're working here at the spa now," Pepper said, eyeing the misplaced smock warily.

The Russian snatched it off and threw it to the side. "No, I don't. I am sorry to interrupt your day together but I'm here with Director… I'm here with my Director, who needs to speak with you."

"About what?"

"All I am at liberty to say is that it is important. Very important."

"Who are you? How did you get in?" Melissa asked upon re-entering the room, adding when she received no answer, "I'm calling security!"

Pepper took one last look at Natasha and said, "Melissa, don't, please. I know her and she's not here to hurt us."

The young woman nodded, reluctantly, "Okay, Mrs. Stark, if you think it's okay."

"Can you please let us have some privacy?" Pepper asked.

Melissa clearly did not want to leave but she did as requested.

"Now, what is this about, really?"

"All I can tell you is, that it's urgent or I would have given you more advanced warning," Natasha emphasized again.

"Advanced warning about what?" Pepper asked.

"You'll see." Natasha raised her hand to her ear. "Understood, I found them and we'll be there shortly."

Pepper's eyes widened as they caught sight of the solitary man in the small room, and her mouth fell open. "I don't understand," she said once she could speak. "How can you be here? Tony said that you... were killed before the Battle of New York!"

Phil smiled, gently confirming, "I was... dead, it's true."

"But you're... Phil, we went to your funeral for goodness sakes!"

In the next second it was Coulson's turn to be surprised as she enveloped him in a hug, noting when she pulled back she there were tears in her eyes. "It's so good to see you again, Ms... I'm sorry, _Mrs_. Stark. I only wish it were under better circumstances."

Pepper sensed the seriousness of that statement and asked, "Phil, what's going on? I thought SHIELD was gone, taken down according to the official news by quote ' _unknown forces, both internal and external_ ' unquote. The news also said that you were not actually an agency that have been sanctioned by the United States government."

Coulson nodded, "The government had to say that we were that at least partially we weren't sanctioned by them when everything went down because of the nature of what actually happened. Tell me, what has Mr. Stark told you about what actually occurred during those events?"

"He told me that SHIELD was infiltrated by HYDRA, and that Captain America had made the call to take down the entire organization."

"Yes, unfortunately with the level of infiltration HYDRA had been able to effectuate before the truth came out, taking SHIELD down was the only way left to stop their immediate plans. Regrettably it was the only way to distinguish friend from foe," Phil said, his eyes clouding over at the memory of the immediate fallout and the betrayal by one of his own team members.

"So Phil, if SHIELD was supposed to have been taken down by Captain America months ago, can you tell me why Natalie... err, _Natasha_ shows up at the spa my daughter and I are at, with a group of people who are obviously agents of some sort before she asks for us to leave with them because she implied we're in some sort of danger but won't tell me any specific details?"

"SHIELD isn't as disbanded as we've allowed everyone to believe we are."

Pepper smiled in a way that said she was anything but happy. "Yeah, I kind of got that. Are you going to tell me what is going on or do I have to wait until I've finally gotten to meet Director Fury before I find out the answer to that?

"Director Fury is gone," Phil said bluntly.

"What?"

He saw the genuine surprise on her face, and he knew she didn't know the truth, which made what he was about to say... or not say as the case might be even harder. "One of HYDRA's first acts when they revealed themselves was to make two assassination attempts on Director Fury." Coulson paused to allow the information to sink in before he added, "His last act as SHIELD Director was to appoint me as his successor."

"I would congratulate you on the promotion but the fact you've just revealed to me that you're alive and that SHIELD still exists tells me there's something bad about to happen and you think my family will be dragged into it, whatever it _is_ ," Pepper said.

Coulson sighed, looking grim, "I'm afraid we don't think, we _know_. How informed are you when it comes to the technology and weapons your husband designs and makes for the Iron Man suit?"

Pepper looked chagrined as she answered, "I'll be honest, there's not much I know about the suits at all. I know I probably should have a basic knowledge about them but it's hard for me to think about the suits because I don't really like thinking about Tony going into combat... it just _scares_ me because I know something like New York could happen again and this time he won't come home." She shuddered, remembering the awful sight of him flying nuke through the portal on what should have been a one way trip. "Why, do the suits have something to do with why what you're here now?"

"I'm afraid so. We're afraid... no, we know that Mr. Stark had been working on an invisibility feature for the Iron Man that has managed to garner the attention of a HYDRA affiliated group who call themselves _Kreis der Befreiung_."

"Circle of Liberation?" Pepper translated.

The circumstances notwithstanding, once more Phil Coulson found himself impressed with this woman who had stolen the heart of the one time self-described and confirmed playboy, Tony Stark. "Yes, we had intel that gave us reason to believe that they'd make a move against your family today with an attempted abduction."

"Because they somehow know that Tony's not here right, that he's in Canada on business for the day," Pepper said, then gasped, "Oh my... Ethan, our son, Happy is supposed to be taking him home from school right about now." She pulled out her phone, and quickly dialed Happy's number, letting it ring until the call went to voice mail. Pepper ended the call, and dialed his number again, and the line rang until it went through to voice mail.

"He's not answering," Coulson stated.

She shook her head, "No, but it's not unusual for Happy not to answer his phone when he's in heavy traffic. He-" Doubt, worry and fear began to cloud her eyes as it went to voice mail again. "Happy, it's Pepper, would you please call me as soon as you get this message? Thanks!" She started to make another call when Phil stopped her.

"Remember that I said we anticipated they'd try something like this? I sent a team of agents led by Agent Barton to meet up with Mr. Hogan and your son. Barton would have had required that Mr. Hogan shut off his phone to make it harder for them to be tracked. In fact, I need you to do the same." When he saw her hesitation, Phil touched her arm, "Please Virginia, I need you to _trust_ me. You and your daughter are safe now, Agent Barton will be reporting in any second, and once he has we'll take you all to a safe location until we can neutralize _Kreis der Befreiung._ And you have my word that they will be neutralized one way or another, even if it means having to call for the Avengers to assemble."

"I need to talk to Tony," Pepper said weakly.

The SHIELD director nodded, "And I promise you, you will as soon as we can arrange something more secure than a cellular phone."

Pepper hesitated but then turned off her phone.

"Thank you, Mrs. Stark."

"Sir, Agent Barton is standing by with his report."

"Excuse me for a moment."

Coulson exited the room, and walked down the hallway until he was out of earshot of Pepper, then he turned on his comm. "What's your status, Agent Barton? Tell me that you have Ethan Stark and Hogan in your custody."

"I wish I could, sir, but we got here five minutes too late."

Coulson swore in a low voice then inquired, "What happened? How bad is it?"

"It appears Kreis der Befreiung had knowledge of what route Hogan would take while driving young Stark home and set up a roadblock under the pretense of repairing a busted water pipe. The car was surrounded after Hogan stopped it and they forced him to open the door. The boy was taken but it not without a fight as we found Hogan on the ground. He's down with three gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen. Medics are attending to him now."

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	2. Chapter 2

"You wished to see me, my friend?" Thor asked as he entered the gatekeeper's domain. "Your message said it was urgent."

Heimdall placed his sword in its slot on the pedestal and turned to face his prince. "Indeed, it is most urgent. A short time ago, I turned my gaze upon your mortal friends on Midgard and what I saw was most troubling." As he spoke, the portals shifted so that once more his view of the world they, the Asgardians, called Midgard and the realm mortals themselves called Earth was unobstructed.

"Pray, good Heimdall, tell me what has happened!"

"The Man of Iron's firstborn has been stolen by one of his many enemies..."

* * *

"Okay, Thor just showed up."

Phil and Natasha gave each other looks that said _Did he just say what I_ think _he said?_ Coulson asked for clarification before she could. "Repeat that, Agent Barton."

"I said Thor has just appeared here on site."

"Why is Thor here? Last we knew he was still on Asgard," Natasha pointed out.

"Only one way for us to find out. Agent Barton, go talk to Thor and ask him why he came to Earth."

"Standby."

They heard the telltale noise of Barton having cut off his comm.

"You know I would think it was a mere coincidence that Thor just happened to arrive here on Earth right before I issue the order to assemble to the Avengers but I know better than to think that. Especially since he lands in the very area where Ethan Stark was taken, and what's more I think it's very likely the reason why he's here. He knew about the abduction of Stark's son."

Natasha nodded, "I agree."

Barton's comm signal came back at that moment. "Thor said he's here because, and I quote, 'The Man of Iron's firstborn has been taken by his enemies'."

"Agent Barton, did you or any agent on site tell him about the kidnapping?"

"No, sir, no one on site told him anything. He wasn't on site two seconds before I reported his arrival, and he had only been here about a minute when I spoke with him. He specifically came to Earth because he knew about Stark's son being taken."

"The question is _how_ did he know?" Natasha wondered.

"I'd like to know that information eventually but for right now it's irrelevant. Agent Barton, as soon as your team is finished on site, bring Thor to Headquarters where he'll, along with you and Agent Romanoff will wait for the others to gather. I am issuing the order for the Avengers to assemble."

"Understood, sir. We'll report to HQ as soon as we're done here. Barton out."

"I just hope Dr. Banner isn't going to be that hard to find."

"So do I, Agent Romanoff. So do I."

"Please, Mr. Stark, keep your conversation with Mr. Hogan as brief as you can because we need to get him into surgery as soon as possible."

Tony nodded, not trusting his voice right at that moment, allowing the doctor to lead him to where they had stopped his bodyguard's gurney just outside of the OR. The doctor continued onto into the operating room while the surgery staff waited a few feet away to take their patient in once he had said whatever it was he so urgently needed to say.

Tony inhaled in a sharp breath at the sight of the blood soaked bandages covering a large portion of the other man's abdomen, and seeing that his eyes were closed, he reached out to squeeze his hand. Happy's eyes fluttered open and he struggled against the painkillers to focus them on Tony's face.

"Hey, boss," he slurred, "I'm s-s-s-so... s-s-s-s-sorry."

Tony swallowed the lump in throat because this man was more than someone who just protected him and his family. He was also a treasured friend, _family_ , and next to not knowing where his son was at the moment, seeing another member of his family in such a serious state was scaring the billionaire. "It's all right, Happy, I know you did everything possible to stop them from taking Ethan."

Happy nodded and muttered, "Love him... you too."

Tony blinked away tears, and forced that lump out of his throat again. "Me... all of us too, Hap."

One of the nurses came out of the OR.

"Mr. Stark, we really need to get him into surgery _now._ " She nodded at the other two, and the three of them moved into position to push the gurney in.

"Wa... wait."

"Mr. Hogan-"

Tony waved her off, and he moved closer to the gurney. "Happy, you've got to let them take care of you now."

Happy shook his head weakly, "Nooo... it... was... m-m-my fault, boss. My fault!"

"I already told you, Hap, everything's fine."

"Mr. Stark, you really must let us take him in now!"

They began pushing in the gurney again but stopped when Happy used what strength he had left and shook his head more vehemently than ever before.

"Tony, p-p-please!" His mouth continued to move but there was no sound coming from it.

"Sir, if you don't let us take Mr. Hogan in now, I will have security remove you from this area!"

At seeing his distress, Tony ignored her and leaned forward asking, "What? What is it?"

"My... f-f-f-f-fault. I... vouched... f-f-f-f-for Mason. I... sorry!" His eyes slid shut with the last word, and he was mercifully unconscious.

"Call security now!" the nurse said as she moved to check Happy's vitals.

Tony backed away, his hands held up in a way to suggest they wouldn't get anymore interference from him.

"Code Blue!" The nurse said and repositioned the gurney so it was laying flat as board was slid under Happy. She then climbed onto the gurney with him to begin chest compresses while another pressed a breathing bag over Happy's nose and mouth. More medical personal appeared to help rush the gurney the last few feet into the ER, and the last sight Tony had of his friend was his body jumping in response to the electricity of the defibrillator paddles.

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	3. Chapter 3

Sam approached Tony with his hand extended, "I am sorry to finally meet you and the others this way, Mr. Stark, but Steve has told me a lot about your team. I'd like to help you if you need me."

Tony looked at his hand but didn't take it. "Actually, we don't need you and since you weren't invited, you can leave _now_."

"Stark!" Steve and Natasha's protest came in unison with Bruce and Rhodey's "Tony!" Thor and Clint were the only ones not contributing an opinion.

Sam looked at his two friends and shrugged, "It's okay, guys. He doesn't know me so why should he trust me?" He picked up his bag and turned to leave, stopping at the door. "I hope you get your son back safely, Mr. Stark." With one final nod to everyone, he was gone.

Steve turned on Tony. "Stark, just what is _wrong_ with you? Sam could have helped us a lot!"

"Save it, Rogers! That goes for you too, Romanoff!" He pointed at her and although she shot him a death glare, she kept whatever she'd been about to say to herself.

"If this were _any_ **other** mission where my son's life didn't also happen to be riding on the fact whether or not I can trust the people at my back, then I'd be willing to welcome your friend to come along. But it isn't, and you see I am not willing nor have the luxury of taking that chance! Not since the reason Ethan was taken in the first place was because the head of my family's security made an almost fatal mistake on his part by trusting the same man who put three bullets in him before taking my son!"

Silence fell over the room, and as soon as he thought his point had hit home he went on, "As much as we _epically_ clash Rogers, I trust _you_ , **all of you** , to have my back. But more than that, I know each of you will do whatever it takes to get Ethan back safely. What's more I know you'll do whatever it takes, even at the risk of your own lives to get him back and I can't say the same about your friend!"

Steve visibly deflated at his words, and nodded. "You're right, we really should have given it some thought before inviting Sam to come along. I'm sorry for not doing that."

"So am I," Natasha murmured also deflated.

Tony nodded his thanks then said, "JARVIS, have you had any luck tracing the origin of that signal yet?"

"I believe so, sir. I've taken the liberty of uploading the information to the Mark XXXIII."

The location JARVIS had traced had proven to be a false lead, and all they found was an empty warehouse rigged to explode. Fortunately, everyone made it out without any significant damage although the explosion along with the lack of finding a trace of Ethan kept Bruce in his Hulked out state even longer than usual.

"Sir, we have an incoming transmission," JARVIS announced almost the moment they walked into the room.

"Put it on screen and trace it, J," Tony ordered as Rhodey came up beside him while the other flanked out behind.

The sight that greeted them when the screen came on was that of Ethan seated in a wooden chair with his hands behind him, probably bound they all realized angrily. Worst of all, though, was the blindfold tied tightly around his eyes.

Unable to stop himself Tony stepped closer to the screen saying, "Ethan, it's Daddy. Hold on, buddy, I promise you that I will find you and bring you home. Ethan?" But when Ethan gave no response, it became clear that he could not hear his father. "Ethan?"

Suddenly a malicious laugh was heard off camera a split second before Mason appeared, and shook his finger at Tony. "Tsk, tsk, shame on you, Mr. Stark. If you'd done as you were told and given us what we wanted, your precious son would be with you right now. Instead you decided to get your super freak friends involved and it's your son who will pay the cost for your decision."

"You son of a..."

"There there, Mr. Stark, I'd stop right there if I were you before you say something Ethan," Mason admonished, running a hand through the boy's hair, "Might regret."

In the back of the room, Bruce was hunch over and breathing heavy, his eyes taking on a greenish hue. Ever since her first close encounter with the Hulk on the helicarrier, Natasha was more in tune with him than the others seemed to be, and when she saw him go down she moved in closer to him, whispering, "I think you may need to step outside the room, Dr. Banner."

Bruce nodded, and quietly slipped out of the room.

A hand appeared from off camera and handed Mason a gun, and he took the safety off. While watching Tony, he pressed the muzzle of the gun against Ethan's head, immediately seeing the reaction he had wanted. Tony's face went white with fear while everyone else in the room shouted threats and obscenities at the man on the screen.

"Tell them to leave the room now, Mr. Stark."

Tony immediately did as he was ordered to do and told them to leave. One by one the remaining Avengers filed out of the room to join Banner until only Rhodey was left.

"You too, General Rhodes," Mason said when he saw that he wasn't leaving.

Some of the color had returned to Tony's face but his eyes pleaded with his best friend to do as the man wanted. He touched Tony's shoulder, "I'll be just outside with the others."

Tony just nodded.

"Good, we're alone," the man on the screen said once they were alone, "I trust I now have your full and undivided attention, Mr. Stark."

"Just tell me what it is you want, and it's yours. I don't care what it is, I just want my son back."

"You already know what we want, Mr. Stark, and you will **give** us what we want. And allow me to make this crystal clear for you, Mr. Stark. If you further involve SHIELD or any member of your team, including General Rhodes, or play any sort of games with us, Ethan is gone like this." He snapped his fingers together. "You will never see your son again."

"I understand."

"Oh, I hope that you do, Mr. Stark, because if you do not you will have to explain to your wife that your son is gone forever from your inability to follow our instructions." Mason paused, then twisted the knife further, "And your sweet little angel Eva will be left to grow up without the older brother she already idolizes, and again it will be all because her daddy couldn't do as he was told."

Tony closed his eyes. "Your point is crystal clear. You will have what you've asked for, just name the time and place."

"Very well, we will contact you soon with the exchange details." He gestured from someone to cut the feed.

"Wait!" To Tony's relief the signal was not severed.

Mason gave him an amused smile. "Yes?"

"I want to talk to my son." Tony knew he had been reduced to begging but he didn't care. "Please, it's been three days. He needs to know he'll be home again soon."

Mason appeared to be thinking the request over then nodded. "I'll allow you to talk with your son but only if you'll agree to do one further thing for."

Praying whatever he wanted was to harm someone Tony said, "Name it."

"When you come to trade us the plans for your invisibility technology, I want you to deliver along with them, SHIELD Director Coulson."

"Why?"

"That is really not your concern is it, Mr. Stark?" the man countered. "All that should concern you is that is what we want in return for a one minute conversation with your son. Is it a deal?"

 _I'm sorry, Phil_ , Tony thought before nodding, "Done. Now let me speak to my son."

Mason handed the gun off to someone before he moved behind Ethan and pulled two small earplugs out of the boy's ears. "And before you protest over the fact I've left the blindfold in place, just remember, I agreed to allow you to talk to him, but I did not make an agreement where I would allow him to see you. So you can either spend your minute speaking to him with the blindfold on or the minute can be spent with him seeing you but not hearing you as I'll put the earplugs back in. Which will it be?"

Tony made a gesture to indicate he'd rather Ethan hear than see him.

"Your minute begins now."

"Ethan."

"Daddy?"

The sound of the hopeful uncertainty broke Tony's heart all over again, and millionth time since this call came in, he fought to be strong for his son. "Yes, it's Daddy."

Ethan began to cry. "Daddy, I'm scared! I want to go home! I want Mommy and Evie and Uncle Jimmy! I want to go home!" He was nearly sobbing with the last part.

"Ethan, buddy, Daddy needs you to listen to him for a minute. I know it's hard and you're afraid but we don't have much time and I need you to tell you something. Okay?" Tony said as gently as he could while speaking loud enough for the boy to hear him. While he continued to cry, he calmed down enough to where he could hear his father.

"I know you're afraid but you know what? You're being so brave and Daddy's so proud of you. Keep being brave, little man, because I promise you this will be over soon and you'll be home again," Tony said.

"Ten seconds, sir," JARVIS said softly.

Ethan had begun crying again, and Tony prayed he would hear him in this last few seconds. "I love you, Ethan, more than anything in this world!" The screen went to black as the feed was cut and for a minute Tony could do nothing but stare at it as he collected himself.

"JARVIS, delete all records of the conversation I just had with Mason and delete the records of the location trace you made."

"But, sir, I believe I have accurately traced Master Ethan's location," the AI protested.

"You heard the man, JARVIS. I can't take any chances here. Delete the records now."

"Very well, sir. Deletion has been completed."

Taking a deep breath, Tony told him, "Tell the others they can come back in now."

"Yes, sir."

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	4. Chapter 4

In the few moments he had before the others came back into the room, Tony realized the most difficult part would be convincing them that the lie he was about to tell them was the absolute truth, especially Rhodey. They'd been friends a lot longer than the others probably could imagine being possible and whatever he did, his best friend had to buy the lie as well as the others or Ethan was as good as lost forever.

His decision made Tony walked over to the bar, and was pouring a drink when the others came into the room. At the same the his lips touched the rim of the glass, he heard Steve's disgust as he said, "So that's just it? One failed attempt to rescue your son and one threatening call from the kidnappers is all it takes for _this_!" He pointed at the opened bottle that had been left out.

Taking another drink, Tony slurred his words slightly for effect while he fired back, "You know what? I really don't care what you think, Spangles. You handle things your way, and I'll handle 'em mine." This was punctuated by another sip and a belligerent look.

"Which is to say, not at all!" Steve retorted. "I thought you might have really changed, Stark, but I can see now how wrong I was."

The other man's words had unexpectedly hurt, but Tony pushed that aside, and carried his act further by making it seem like he wanted to take a swing at Steve. Fortunately, the pair of master assassins moved together in unison to intervene, stepping in between them. Natasha pulled Steve away from Tony while Clint shot both of them dirty looks.

"Never mind what you both think of each other. It's irrelevant at a time like this!" The archer growled in a voice as taut as one of his bow's strings.

"You know, Steve, that really was out of line!" Bruce quietly added.

Steve shrugged but he offered nothing in the way of an apology.

Thor's quiet voice from the corner startled them all – in more ways than one. "I think what is more important is what was said that motivated this," He gestured at the alcohol. "What kind of dire threats were made against his firstborn? For dire threats they must have been to cause such a response from Anthony."

"I think Thor has a very good point," Natasha said.

Bruce nodded, "Yeah, Tony, just what did Mason say to you?"

Tony shrugged, "Nothing, he said nothing. Told me I was to wait to be contacted again with further instructions." He went through the motions of pouring himself another drink, which made all pairs of eyes in the room except one turn away from him in unbelief and disgust.

"Are you sure that's all he said?" Bruce probed when he could safely look at Tony again.

"Yup, uh huh."

"Do they still want the same thing as they wanted before?" Steve asked, rejoining the conversation.

"What do you think, Capsicle?"

Steve rolled his eyes, and shaking his head he looked at Barton. "Contact Director Coulson and update him on the situation."

The archer nodded, and left the room, pulling out his communicator as he went.

A heavy silence had fallen over the room as they waited for Clint to return with word from the SHIELD director. For the first time since he began his act, he dared to look in Rhodey's direction and what he in his friend's eyes told Tony that at least one person the room wasn't buying what he was trying to sell. He saw the question in Rhodey's eyes, shaking his head just enough that only his friend saw it, and shot him a look that clearly said _later_.

"Coulson's coming here," Barton announced as he came back into the room. "Said he wants to have a few words regarding the situation with you, Stark."

"At least he'll be better than dealing with Old Cyclops," Tony responded obnoxiously. "Hey Katniss, call back and tell Coulson that he's to come alone."

"It's against protocol for the Director to travel without protection when there's an ongoing crisis, especially when HYDRA is behind that crisis," Natasha replied.

"Which is like always the case now since they kicked SHIELD'S collective–"

"Forget it, Stark. Director Coulson can't and won't come here without a security escort."

"Then he's not welcome here. JARVIS, deny access to Director Coulson to this building until further notice."

"Yes, sir, but may I remind you that in the past I–"

"Mute." Immediately the AI's voice went silent, leaving them all to wonder what he had been about to say.

"Why do you wish for him to come alone Anthony?" Thor asked, cutting off any further arguments that might break out.

"They threatened Ethan if SHIELD gets even further involved okay? If Coulson shows up with that many agents in tow and I don't stop them from entering..." he trailed off. "He's already threatened to cut his losses because you guys know about this."

"And he still wants the same thing that he wanted before?" Steve asked.

Tony nodded, "He also said they would contact me again in three days to finalize the details."

"So you're thinking that you can pretend to give him what he wants," Natasha said. "And then we can stage a rescue instead."

"Gee, thanks so much for stating the obvious," Tony replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "We have to be careful..." Letting them think he had a plan seemed a whole lot easier at this point than risk telling them learning the truth.

Steve stared at Tony for a long moment, then said, "Okay, I'll contact the director and request that he leave his security behind since he should be safe enough once he's here." When Steve made the announcement a few minutes later Steve confirmed that Coulson had agreed to leave his security behind, Tony reversed his previous order to JARVIS.

"Just so you all know that when Coulson gets here, our meeting will be a private one," Tony announced.

"If that is what Director Coulson wants," Steve countered.

"Oh no, Spangles, it will be private or I want you all to get out of my building now."

"Or what? You're going to throw us out, Stark?"

"If I have to, yeah!"

"I'd really like to see you try it."

It was Rhodey who stepped in between his friend and Captain America this time.

"Everybody get out right now," he said in his best military voice. "And don't even think about arguing with me, _Captain_ Rogers!" Rhodey had gambled that there was enough of military protocol left instilled in the other man to make him do as he had ordered. He was thankful that indeed proved to be the case when Steve nodded stiffly before turning to exit the room.

As the others followed suit, Bruce put a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Steve, give him a break, will you? This _is_ his son we're talking about here."

Image already added


	5. Chapter 5

"I have just one question for you, Tony, and that is how in the name of all that is good did the six of you manage to pull off saving Earth against an invasion from outer space?" James asked the second they were alone.

Tony had instantly sobered once everyone was gone. He ignored his friend quip, saying instead with as much fear as the other man had ever heard from him,"Rhodey, they have my son. I... I'm not equipped to deal with this..."

"We're going to get him back... you know that."

"Do I? Do I really?"

Rhodey nodded, "You have to believe it, because the alternative isn't going to happen."

"I've never been so scared in my life, Rhodey. The constant fear I felt in that cave in Afghanistan was like a Sunday picnic compared to this," Tony ran a hand through his hair. "You know that soul-shattering fear I felt when Killian making his threats about injecting Pepper with Extremis while she was pregnant with Eva? Well what I felt then... that doesn't come anywhere close to the fear that is crushing my heart right now."

With that he let out a feral scream then hurled the glass he had been drinking from into the wall and they both watched it shatter. Rhodey knew what about to happen next, moving to catch Tony before he crumpled to the ground, and he held onto his friend fast as the man came unglued.

Several minutes later, the Air Force general couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips or his eyes rolling when Tony said, "You know as nice as this is, Jimmy, this touchy feely girly stuff only really works if your name is Pepper Potts Stark."

Rhodey helped him up, and broke the contact accept for the hand he left on Tony's shoulder. "You going to be okay?"

Tony nodded, and being embarrassed at his outburst, let his eyes wander around the room until they settled onto the bottle still sitting on the bar. "Awhile ago when I called you back into the room with the others, you obviously knew I was putting on an act for them. How did you know I wasn't nearly as drunk as I was pretending to be?"

"I knew because one, we've been friends for over thirty years, Tony, and in that time I've seen you wasted out of your mind more times than I really want to count. Two, I know for a fact you've been working on that particular bottle for _months_ now. Tony, after you married Pepper you cut back on how much you drink by half and since the birth of your kids, you've been drinking even less than that. But what I don't understand is _why_ you put on the act in the first place, Tony?"

"Because it was the easiest way to get them all angry with me."

"Well I'm pretty sure Dr. Banner isn't angry with you–"

"No, we'd definitely all know it if Bruce was angry," Tony confirmed.

"I was going to say I think he was more confused at your behavior than anything else but everyone... well except maybe Thor, was decidedly on the angry side.

"Director Coulson has entered the building, sir." JARVIS announced.

"Direct him to my workshop, J."

"Yes, sir."

"Hey, man, do you want me to go and let you two talk alone?" Rhodey asked.

Tony nodded, "Yeah, yeah I do. Sorry."

"It's okay, don't apologize. I'll just go upstairs and crash in the guestroom. If you need me don't hesitate to have JARVIS call me." Rhodey touched his shoulder as went by Tony on his way out, stopping at the elevator. "I mean it, call me if you need me."

"I won't and I will, thanks."

"JARVIS, with the exception of Thor, are all the the others on their designated floors?" Tony asked the AI the moment the elevator's doors were closed.

"Yes, sir, all except for Captain Rogers who is currently in the gymnasium on the 73rd floor."

Rolling his eyes, Tony muttered, "Of course, Rogers, you can't be where it'll make this oh so much easier to do, can you?" He tapped the controls to make the necessary corrections needed to accommodate this new obstacle to his plan. "JARVIS, as soon as Rhodey is in his room, I want you to make everyone is _out_ for the night. Except Rhodey."

"Of course, sir, but might I point out that given Captain Rogers' current location and activities, there is an elevated chance of his being injured post consciousness due to his impacting the ground," JARVIS replied.

"The order still stands, J. The moment Rhodey's in his room, gas everyone else including Rogers. Once that's done let me know and let me know when Coulson really does enter the building."

"Yes, sir."


	6. Chapter 6

In the split second it took for the hum of the sonic taser to sink into Coulson's mind that is what he was hearing it was already too late. His body began to fall backwards, paralyzed from the small device. However instead of hitting the floor as he had expected to, he felt a pair of arms catch him, and ease his descent downwards.

"I'm sorry," Tony said quietly, checking his pulse and breathing. "I swore I'd never use one of these things after Obie used one on me. But then I'm about to do a lot of things I never believed I'd _ever_ do."

Tony heard a click of a gun behind him. "Go away Rhodey," he said firmly. "You can't be involved in this."

"I already am, Tony. I know he is your son, but he's my godson and just like you there's nothing I wouldn't do to save him."

"Even if it means helping to deliver a man to what will very likely be his torturous death at the hands of HYDRA?"

James swallowed hard, looking Coulson in the eye before saying, "I'm sorry, but if it means saving an innocent boy's life, than yes even then." He sighed, and looked away from Phil, "Tell me what you need me to do, Tony."

"Keep an eye on him while I get the files they want together," Tony replied, as JARVIS opened up the access to his private server.

"Shouldn't we, you know, tie him up?"

"The effects of the sonic taser will last for another ten minutes and I'd rather not tie him up until we have to do it." Tony returned to downloading his files, and for a few minutes everything was quiet. "JARVIS, is the Mark XXXIV ready?"

"Almost, sir."

"Good, let me know when it is and have the Mark XXXIII ready to go by automation as well."

"Yes, sir."

"You're giving them one of your suits, Tony?"

"It's part of the deal. They want every bit of what I've done to perfect this tech, including the prototype I've installed in the Mark XXXIII. And look before you say the obvious, yes I know that they can and will use it to hurt a lot of innocent people but if they don't get what they want..."

"Can you live with what will happen to those innocents?"

Tony looked at him, "All I know for certain is that, if something happens to Ethan, I'm not going to want to continue living."

"Data transfer is complete, and the Mark XXXIV is now ready, sir."

"Right, let's get this over with," Tony said, grabbing a length of rope up from his workbench.

Rhodey held out his hand, "Here let me tie him up while you go suit up. No offense, but your knots suck!" Any other time, he would have had a snarky comeback for his friend, but given the situation, Tony just nodded and walked over to the docking station where the robots began assembling the suit on him. Rhodey watched him for a second before turning towards Coulson and the task at hand..

"I really wish there was some other way," he said in the way of apology.

Phil's jaw twitched, before he said slowly, "So...do...I."

Rhodey paused, looking him in the eye, and saw absolutely no ill will towards him. He thought he even saw forgiveness there right before he heard the last of the Iron Man suit lock into place, and with the moment broken he finished tying the final knot just as Tony came over. Rhodey was glad to see that he didn't have talk to a metal face as Tony left the plate up for the time being. "How are you taking him to the meeting site?"

"In one of the SI choppers, which should be waiting on the roof by now. Come, on help me get him up there."

The General groaned as they moved Coulson into the elevator, "Please tell me you didn't involve one of the pilots in this too."

"No, I told him to leave after he delivered it."

"Don't tell me you're going to fly it yourself!"

"Well I do have a license."

"But you've not flown a chopper in years!"

"Would you rather I call the pilot back and involve him?"

"No, the fewer people involved, the better,' Rhodey said just as they had finished getting Coulson up in the chopper.

"I'm... so relieved you said that," Tony said in a mysterious tone.

"What do you – " Rhodey was cut off as Tony held the sonic taser close to his ear.

Tony caught his friend, and lowered him gently to the ground. "I'm so sorry, platypus, but I can't let you be involved in this any further." With that, he set the taser on the ground and crushed it with his metal encased foot. "When you come out of it, call Pepper, and tell her I've gone to get Ethan. Tell her that this will be over soon." After he gave Rhodey one last check over, Tony climbed onboard the chopper, and prepared to take off.

000

"Tony..." Coulson began.

Tony steeled himself for threats and recriminations. He deserved them.

"It's... all right. I.. forgive you."

That hurt more than anything else could have because he saw in Phil's eyes that he had meant every word he'd said.

It was another few minutes before Coulson continued, "I may not have any children, Tony, but I do understand having to do whatever it takes to protect someone you love. If our situations were reversed, and I had been blessed with such a beautiful son like you have been, I know I wouldn't hesitate to do what you're being forced to do to save his life. If this goes south and I end up dead again, you should know I won't lay the blame at your feet. Although my team and every SHIELD other agent probably will, especially Barton and Romanoff."

Tony knew how very true and prophetic his words were. If Coulson died again, Tony knew his guilt over causing a friend's death wouldn't be a long lived one because he knew the other Avengers would avenge this man again just as they had the first time against Loki.

"You shouldn't be so understanding or forgiving," Tony replied. "I don't deserve it." His face was covered with regret and shame. Looking at Phil's face he continued to see nothing but a compassionate understanding, and he swore to himself if they both made it back alive from this he would put pressure on dear old Captain America to finally sign Coulson's set of trading cards for him. He knew it was a shallow thought to have when he may well be taking the man to his death (again), but if they came back, getting those cards signed would be the least Tony owed Phil Coulson.

"If you'd asked me... I'd have gone willingly to save Ethan," Coulson said.

It was in that moment Tony knew that his act of betrayal couldn't have hurt him any worse if Mason had demanded that Rhodey be handed over to them instead of the good man sitting bound beside him.

"Didn't mean it that way," Coulson said, reading his face. "Please, Tony, don't regret this even if I die again because I don't. The only part I regret is that they made this necessary."

"You know that's where we differ," Tony said, his voice taking a harder edge, "Because if it were you taking me to what is likely to be my very horrible death, I'd be angry as everything with you!"

"You don't mean that."

"Yes, I do!"

Phil shrugged, "Just trying to make this a little easier."

"None of this should be easy," Tony snapped. "But if you really want to help, shutting up for the rest of the flight would be a really _big_ help."

Coulson nodded, and turned his head to look out the window, leaving Tony alone with his thoughts.


	7. Chapter 7

"Ah Director Coulson, I would welcome you as a guest of _Kreis der Befreiung_ , but you won't be staying with us for very long," Mason said with a triumphant smirk, "I'm afraid our HYDRA friends are most anxious to _interview_ you at length in regards to SHIELD."

"Tell me, Mr. Mason or should I say _Herr_ Spellmeyer, are all members of _Kreis der Befreiung_ as much of a walking cliché as you are?" Coulson retorted, earning himself a series of punches to the stomach and ribs.

Mason allowed a half of a dozen punches to land before he signaled the guards to halt. He grasped Phil by the throat, forcing him to look at him as he said in eye as he said in a heavy German accent, "You maybe sorry that you wasted your strength on petty insults, Director."

Coulson smiled and spit right into his eyes.

Mason released a volley of expletives in German as his men pummeled their prisoner again. Once he could see again, he barked a harsh order in his own language before backhanding Coulson, "Enough, get him ready for transport to HYDRA!" He watched them take Coulson until they disappeared behind one of their truck before stalking back over to where the technicians were still examining the data and Iron Man suit that had been surrendered.

"Sind die Pläne echt, doktor?"

"Ja, herr, sind sie echt wie ist Stark's anzug."

"Of course they're genuine and now that your guys have verified that, I want my son!" Tony yelled.

"Of course, Mr. Stark," Mason replied, and looked at a guard, "Du da, bringen die Jungen!"

"Ja, herr, sofort!" The guard replied with a salute that was reminiscent of the HYDRA salute.

Tony barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes but was unable to keep from snarking, "Coulson was _so_ right. You guys really are a bunch of walking clichés!" Tony remembered too late that he had been forced to take his suit off and that he probably shouldn't have said that out loud. He braced himself to be beaten in a way similar to what Coulson had been given.

However, all he received from Mason was a cold and even colder words of warning, "If I were you, Mr. Stark, I would hold my tongue. I still can and will still make your son suffer the consequences in your place."

The guard reappeared with Ethan walking in front of him, and to Tony relief his hands were unbound and the blindfold was gone. Since he didn't want to risk angering Mason,Tony used every last bit of his self-restraint not to run to his when he saw him. He felt Mason's cold eyes watching his conflict to no do anything that would endanger Ethan further.

The other man's tone held a black amusement in it when he said, "Go on, Mr. Stark. Go to your son."

As he approached them, Mason was clapped in a sarcastic manner as Tony had ever heard in his life, "Oh my such a heart warming scene, the reunion of father and son!"

[Does the boy speak German?]

[No.]

[Good, then he cannot know I am about to kill his father!]

"What? You said you'd – "

[In German, Mr. Stark. There is no need to alarm the boy before the fact, now is there?]

[You said you would give him back to me once you had what you wanted!]

[And so I did, Mr. Stark, but I never once said you would walk away from this alive, now did I?]

While he spoke he pulled out a gun and made sure a bullet was at the ready.

[You see the opportunity to kill one of the famed Avengers is one too great to simply pass up, especially when that Avenger is Iron Man, the Great Hero of Manhattan. And not only will I kill you in body, Mr. Stark, but in reputation as well. Once you are dead I see to it that reports of your betrayal of Director Coulson are made available to the public. The leader of HYDRA shall thank me personally because with your betrayal, the public shall no longer have any trust in their beloved Avengers and whatever is left of SHIELD will be demoralized by the death of their director as well as the hunt for them the United States government shall surely conduct.]

He watched Tony as he spoke, noting the billionaire was clearly looking for a way to escape his fate that would not bring his son to harm in the process.

[Don't bother, Mr. Stark. I and my men have you surrounded in the middle of nowhere and have denied you the access to your suit.]

Tony held Ethan close to him as the reality of the situation sank in. They were both going to die and there was nothing he could do about it.

[Please, don't kill my son. You have me and you can do whatever you want to me. Just let him go home to his mother and sister.]

Mason laughed, coldly.

[Who said anything about hurting the boy? Hmm? Oh no, Mr. Stark, I'm not going to hurt your son... at least not personally.]

A new wave of absolute terror shot into Tony's core being as he realized that Mason would do with Ethan once he was dead.

Mason nodded.

[Yes Mr. Stark, just as we had no intentions of giving him back to you, we also never had any intentions of killing your son either. Instead, we were commissioned by HYDRA's leader to bring him to them as they believe his mind will prove to be even more brilliant than yours, just as yours has proven to be more brilliant than that of your _esteemed_ father's. With your son under his own personal tutelage, I'm quite certain he will prove to be one of the most brilliant men the world has ever seen.]

Mason halted whatever Tony was about to say with a hand gesture.

[I'll save you the indignity of trying to bargain for the freedom of your son – and your life. You have nothing more to offer us that we want.]

[Not even my company? Or the money in my personal bank account? I will sign both of them over to you right now if you return him to my wife. Please, I'm not even asking for my life as part of the bargain, just his. Please, just let my son go home.]

The German pretended to considered the offer.

[If we were interested in your company or your personal fortune, Mr. Stark, we would have demanded that you hand them over from the beginning. As it is, when HYDRA gains world dominance, we shall be right beside them ruling over the world. We will have all the prestige and money we can ever want then. So your offer adds up to what, as you Americans say, is pocket change.]

Mason looked at his watch.

[I have no more time to waste on this pointless conversation with you, Mr. Stark. It's time to say your goodbyes to Ethan. You have two minutes.]

The finality of Mason's words robbed Tony of precious seconds from the two minutes he had left with his son. Not knowing what else to do, he knelt so he could be at Ethan's level with the intention of looking into Ethan's eyes as he spoke but found himself pulling his son as tightly into his arms as he could instead.

How could Tony impart a lifetime of his love for Ethan in simply two minutes? How could he give his son something to hang onto while they brainwashed and turned him and sculpted his mind into what they wanted it to be? What would have meant that _much_ to him?

He remembered back to the day Ethan was born, and how hard it had been for him to put him down at first. The fear he had felt at first being a father had been completely overshadowed and then completely dwarfed by the love he felt when they placed his son into his arms for the very first time. The love he felt in that moment had only grown, until its only equal was how much he loved Eva. He loved Pepper with all of his heart but not even what he felt for her came close to the love he held for their children and Tony was truly at a loss for way to convey that to Ethan.

Still he had to try, and he fought hard to keep his voice steady.

"Ethan, son, I love you." Tony couldn't stop the tears welling up in his eyes. "Your mother and I will always love you, Eva too. When I'm gone, your mom and sister will still be there, looking for you. They'll never stop looking for you, or loving you. No matter what they say or tell you, don't ever forget that we love you, always."

Ethan began sobbing when the realization that he was going to be taken away from his father finally sank in, and he started saying over and over, "I love you, Daddy. I love you..." He clung to Tony as much as his little arms would allow, and he cried so much that Tony felt the tears begin to soak through his shirt. He rubbed his son's back in an effort to both comfort and calm him down, whispering just how much he loved Ethan into the boy's ear.

"Your time is up, Mr. Stark."

Tony wasn't even trying to stop the tears now. "I love you Ethan. I love you."

They wrenched Ethan so violently out of his arms that Tony fell forward onto the ground. He quickly picked himself up and saw Ethan fighting the guard who held him back. He was twisting in the guard's grasp in an effort to get free and when that didn't work, he gave the guard's shin two hard kicks. The man cursed in German and let him go but the release Ethan had won was short lived as another guard grabbed him again.

"Ethan, stop. Stop it, son!" Tony said, not fighting the guards who were holding him and not wanting the others to hurt his son. "Ethan look at me, son. I love you."

Ethan sobbed, and reached towards him as far as he could with them still holding him. "Daddy! Daddy!"

Mason barked a command, to which the guards responded by moving Ethan further away from him.

Tony closed his eyes for a long moment only opening them when the cold metal pressed against his head. He could hear his son start to cry again. He opened his eyes not for anything other than to try to convey his love. "I love you Ethan." They would make his son watch... it was a part of severing the ties and the first step to desensitizing him. "Don't forget that, I love you."

"Your words are so very, very touching. Who knew the _great_ Tony Stark was capable of such sickening softness?"

Tony ignored him, completely focused on his son. As firmly as he could he said, "Ethan, listen to me. I want you to close your eyes now. Keep them closed and don't look no matter what you hear. Can you do that for me, son? Please, Ethan, this is very important. I want you to close your eyes now."

Instead of the life ending bang Tony had expected to hear a split microsecond before the bullet went into his brain, he heard a shriek of agony. He turned around just in time to see Mason hit the ground clutching at the arrow shaft embedded deep within his left shoulder.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** I'm trying to work on this story again, and hopefully I can get it finished in the first part of this year!

* * *

The battle was chaotic, violent, and surprisingly short.

Tony wasted no time grabbing Ethan and getting him under the protection of cover before calling his suit to their location. He didn't want to leave his son for even a second, so the suit was put in sentry mode. So instead of blasting the terrorists who had taken the little boy he had loved most in the world, Tony spent the next several minutes clutching his son's small body tightly against him, rubbing his back whenever an explosion made Ethan screamed in terror.

Finally the battlefield fell into an eerie state of quiet.

"Does anyone have a location on Mason?" Steve asked once the last shot had been fired and the last punch had been thrown.

He heard responses in the negative until...

"Here," Natasha answered a second later.

The Captain looked around to the direction he had last seen her during the fighting, and spotted her kneeling on the ground not far from the area. As he walked in her direction he felt the other Avengers, all for except Stark and Banner, fall in behind him. As they neared her, it was clear to see that Natasha was holding Mason's wrist, checking him for a pulse.

She looked up at Steve and said, "He's dead." She glanced back in Clint's direction before adding, "Aside from the arrow wound, there are no other injuries on him."

"Good! Birdbrain just saved me the trouble!" Tony's snarky growl came over the comms instead of in person since there's no way he'd leave Ethan's side even now.

"Stark..." Steve but decides to stop there stop there, shaking his head in exasperation, pulling off his cowl. He knows if he goes any further in what he was about to say, it will start just another pointless argument between them. He also he knows now was just the wrong time and place for one. So instead he just turns around and starts walking back towards the main battle area. "Agent May, what's Director Coulson's status?"

May's reply is terse, "We've secured the Director, Captain."

He opens his mouth to ask her to elaborate but stops when Natasha shakes her head, and Clint does the same. Something in their expressions tells him that trying to carry on a conversation with an agitated Agent May is a bad idea so instead he just responds with, "Understood. I-"

The leader of the Avengers fell silent as a large airplane appeared overhead without causing any alarm since they all knew the aircraft belonged to SHIELD. A minute after it landed, the plane's rear hatch opened, and the familiar dark grey metal of War Machine armor came flying out. Steve had been about to request that Rhodey take up a guard position with Tony and Ethan but the military man was way ahead of him. He flew straight for them without saying a word to the team or any of the SHIELD agents, and joined Tony's suit of armor in watching over them until they had the field completely secured.

Once he heard the _all clear_ over the comms, Rhodey opened the flat plate of his armor, and turned to his best friend and nephew.

"Uncle Jimmy!"

Smiling at his nephew with relief, Rhodey said, "Hi there, kiddo! You okay?" He didn't dare ask if the lowlifes who had held him hostage had hurt him in anyway because if the boy said _yes_ , he knew he might not be able to stop himself from blasting the members captured alive into oblivion. So instead he turned back to Tony, and told him,

"Come on. I'll escort you two over to the plane."

Tony nodded, then got himself and Ethan up to their feet, nodding for Rhodey to lead the way as his armor brought up the rear.

* * *

From the very second she stepped onto the plane, Melinda May moved to confront Tony, pulling out a pair of handcuffs. "Hand the boy over to General Rhodes."

Tony's eyes found Rhodey's and he nodded, relenting, that pit of dread that he may have just held his son for the last time growing in his stomach until it overcame him. He carefully shifted Ethan to Rhodey and didn't offer any struggle as Agent May pulled his arms behind his back. While he pointedly avoided anyone else's gaze, he could sense the tension from the other Avengers over whether or not he would fight.

"No," Coulson said as he came onboard and saw what she was doing. "Let him go."

"Sir?" May turned to Coulson.

"I don't think Mr. Stark has any intentions of running right now. Let him get his son home."

May hesitated a fraction of a second before unlocking the one cuff she had already closed around Tony's wrist, and she glared at him when she went past him before stalking off towards the front of the plane without another word.

Tony nodded to Coulson, "Thank you."

"I wouldn't thank me yet if I were you, Mr. Stark." He nodded towards Ethan,who was still in his godfather's arms, "I ordered Agent May to stand down for _his_ sake, not yours."

"Still he's my top priority, so my thanks stands," Tony said, taking his son back. "For the record, I won't run. You have my word on that."

A distinct, disgusted snort was heard from one side of the room followed by muttered sentiments, "As if your word counts for anything now." and "Traitor."

Coulson turned sharply towards the source, wincing a little from the movement obviously favoring his ribs as he said, "Fitz, I think the agents who have yet to arrive will have need of your help when they get here."

The young man nodded, his Scottish brogue pronounced, "Yes, sir." He quickly disappeared down the ramp but not before he had shot Tony a dirty look.

"And Simmons–" Coulson began.

"Sir, if I may, I think I need to look you over. You look like you took quite a beating," Jemma said, glowering in Tony's direction.

Coulson opened his mouth to say no to her but stopped when there was another twinge in his ribs, and he couldn't quite hide the fact he was hurting.

"Please, sir, it's quite obvious that simply breathing is painful for you and if you've got any broken ribs I need to know about them so I can treat you for them."

Phil finally conceded to her point and motioned for her to lead the way. However before he left the cargo area, he issued one last order. "Agent Skye, would you please show the Avengers and General Rhodes to the lounge and see to it that they'll be comfortable during the flight?"

"Of course, DC," she replied, the bit of sassy in her voice not going unnoticed by every present.

The Director of SHIELD had to fight to keep the amusement off of his face at the dreamy eyed look that crossed hers once her eyes fell onto Thor. He also did to notice quickly that look vanished from her face the moment she glanced in Stark's direction.

"If you will all follow me..." Skye said, and everyone followed her out with the exception of the billionaire and Air Force general. Coulson watched as the latter of the two gently transferred the sleeping little boy back into his father's arms, and after exchanging a very loaded look with his friend, headed in the direction the others had went.

Tony approached the SHIELD director when they were alone, "Please would you have your medic slash doctor or whatever she is look Ethan over too, just make sure that he's okay? I need to know if they hurt him in anyway while they had him."

Phil nodded, "Of course, I was going to suggest it in a little while. Come with me."

"What is _he_ doing here?" Jemma asked harshly, her eyes flaring with anger at the person she had not expected to be with Coulson.

" _He_ is here because _he_ needs to have someone with medical training to give his _son_ a checkup," Tony said with equal fire before the Director could respond. The anger left as rapidly as it came, since after all he was the one in the wrong here. He added in a much milder tone, "Please, I need to know if my son is okay."

At hearing the man's concern, Simmons sighed, "All right, Mr. Stark, I'll give your son a checkup after I've seen to Director Coulson."

Phil shook his head, "No, see to Mr. Stark's son first."

"But, sir–"

"Please, Jemma," Coulson said softly, "Take care of Ethan first. Yes, I'm hurt and yes I can tell you right now I know I've have bruised ribs if the fact it hurts to breath is any indication. But I also have enough experience to know that as long as I don't have fight a dozen HYDRA goons right now, I can stand the discomfort a little longer while you examine the boy."

It was obvious she was still reluctant but she looked at Tony, pointing to a nearby gurney, "If you'll lay your son down on the bed, Mr. Stark, I'll be with you momentarily."

Tony laid Ethan on the bed as carefully as he could, not wanting to jostle his son anymore than was necessary. While he waited for Simmons to come over, he brushed back hair from Ethan's face, wishing not for the first time that they had a change of clothes for him as Ethan was still in his school uniform. He heard a snap of a rubber glove and saw the young woman loop a stethoscope around her neck before joining them.

"Do you need me to wake him up?"

"Yes, Mr. Stark, I do need him to be awake. I won't be able to give him a full examination otherwise," Jemma said apologetically. The young woman began to feel her heart soften a fraction towards the billionaire while she watched him as he began to awaken his son in a way that altogether contradicted his public image with such gentle touches and softly spoken words.

Tony leaned close to his son, touching his shoulder lightly as he did so, "Ethan?"

"Hmm..."

"Ethan, I need to open your eyes for me, champ."

"Don't wanna."

"I know you're tired, buddy, but this nice doctor needs to see if you're okay. Come open your eyes, and sit up for me."

"'m tired, Daddy."

Tony brushed his hair again, "I know you are, Ethan, and I promise you can go right back to sleep as soon as she's finished. Come on and open your eyes for me."

Ethan groaned but opened his eyes, and with his father;s help finally sat up. "Love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, buddy," Tony murmured and nodded to Simmons.

As she approached the bed, Jemma could not fail to see the tears in his eyes. She nodded her thanks. "I'll be as quick as I can, Mr. Stark." She put the stethoscope into her ears, and listened to the boy's heart.

A short time later, Simmons finished up her examination of Ethan. "There, I'm all done. You can lay back down now if you want to, sweetheart." She moved off to the side, watching as Tony helped Ethan to settle back onto the gurney, and waited as he stayed a moment with him.

Once he thought Ethan had fallen back asleep, Tony moved to join Simmons a few feet away so they could talk.

"Daddy?" Ethan called out to him in an almost panicked voice.

Tony quickly returned to him, taking his hand. "I'm here, little man. You're safe now, and I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

Tony swallowed hard twice before hoarsely saying, "I promise. Go back to sleep."

Once again Jemma had to blink away tears, and she went over to Tony when it became clear the man wouldn't step even a few feet away from his son. She was as quiet as she could be out of consideration for the traumatized little boy, "Mr. Stark?"

Tony kept his focus on Ethan but asked, "Is he okay?"

"Aside from some few minor abrasions and a little bit of bruising, I believe your son is fine physically, Mr. Stark."

"What about how much he's wanting to sleep now?"

"I don't think there's any cause for concern there, either. He's physically fine as I said. I think why he is wanting to sleep so much now is more than likely he is making up for the sleep he lost when he was with... those bloody, _bloody_ awful people," Jemma reassured him. Then she saw that her words were not having their desired effect she asked gently, "Mr. Stark, how well did you sleep during the three months you were held by the terrorists in Afghanistan?"

"Not well at all," Tony admitted. "But I wasn't a kid when that happened and I had a friend with me during that time."

"He's all right, Mr. Stark. He knows that he's safe again, and he's just catching up on his sleep."

She saw the relieved gratitude on his face as he looked up at her, "Thank you, Doctor–"

"Simmons."

"Thank you, Dr. Simmons."

She nodded, and turned to where Coulson waited non-intrusively for her to finish with them, "I'm afraid you'll have to sit on one of our work tables, sir."

Phil nodded, and told her, "This will have to wait for just a few more minutes."

"Sir? I don't understand..."

Instead of explaining to her, Coulson approached Tony, "Mr. Stark?"

Tony looked at him apprehensively as though he thought that the SHIELD Director was about to take away the reprieve he had given him earlier.

"Oh, no, that's not what I want to say to you. _That_ is not going to happen while you're here on this plane. You won't be separated from him. Instead what I wanted to say to you is, I want to offer you a place to let you both get some rest during the flight. If you want to use it, I'll let you use my cabin.."

"Your cabin?"

Phil nodded, "Yes, I'm afraid it's small side in size but it has a bed and more importantly, privacy for you both if you want it. Plus I think Ethan will be able to sleep more comfortable in something that's more like a real bed than he will here or in the lounge. Will you accept my offer?"

"Yes," Tony said, his voice quiet, "Thank you."

"If you'll take care of your son, I'll show you the way myself," Coulson said, shaking his head at Simmons when she opened her mouth to protest.

Ethan's whining protest at being disturbed again cut off anything she had been about to say. "Daaaaady! Wanna sleep!"

"I know you do, and I promise you this will be the last time you'll be moved for awhile," Tony said, settling him as comfortably in his arms as he could.

He signaled he was ready for Phil to lead the way with a nod and soon he was following the SHIELD director up to the next level of the plane via a spiral staircase. They passed an area of the plane that was clearly intended as a holding/interrogation area for prisoners but the part that made Tony regret taking the man up on his offer was when they passed through the lounge area.


	9. Chapter 9

When they reached Coulson's _cabin,_ that really shouldn't had been called anything so grand since it wasn't any bigger than the twin bunk bed inside. Still Tony was grateful when the Director opened the door, briefly explained to him where the bathroom's located (not in the _cabin_ as it was too small), offered him a SHIELD t-shirt for Ethan to sleep in, and then he left them alone.

"Oh, could you…" Tony began as the other man was about to leave.

"Could I what?"

"Could you please have someone tell Pepper than Ethan is safe and is coming home soon?"

Coulson smiled at him warmly, "I already did. I had a message passed along to Agent Hill that Ethan has been rescued and she will tell Mrs. Stark that he's safe now."

"Thank you."

"My pleasure."

Tony immediately looked away from him, back to Ethan because he could tell Coulson sincerely meant ir, and he couldn't take looking at busted up face a second longer.

Once Coulson was gone, Tony thought about just putting Ethan down in the bunk as he was but he knew if he did, he'd be uncomfortable, resting in what was left of his school uniform. So before he tucked Ethan into the bed, he woke his son up long enough to get him changed into the t-shirt, and take off his pants. The t-shirt was long enough on the seven year old boy to where it looked like a nightshirt on him, which was fine since they didn't have a pair of pajama bottoms for Ethan to sleep in.

The little boy had, of course, went right back to sleep with his father sitting by the bed in a chair that he pulled over from outside another _cabin_ , and placed it by the door he had partially shut to give his little boy some privacy. He could still see Ethan's face, and could be there at a moment's notice if he were to wake, and look for his Daddy.

Watching his son sleep in safety, almost made the icy cold glares he got from both his former… for surely they _were_ now his former teammates right… almost bearable. The cold fury he briefly saw in their eyes before he glued his eyes onto the back of Coulson's head, was the same cold fury he'd could to expect to only see when they were fighting a great enemy. To have the coldness directed at him… it was disconcerting to say the very least.

It was some time after Ethan was settled down into Coulson's bed, Tony heard the sound of someone else entering the section. He didn't look to see who it was immediately, not wanting to stare into the faces of one of the Avengers, or worse yet, into angry face that belonged to one or more of Coulson's team members.

The looks from the Scottish guy or the British doctor alone were bad enough. He didn't want to imagine staring into the face of the woman who was putting him in the handcuffs. He didn't know why or how but she had made him think of Natasha, and he had a feeling this woman could really hurt him if she wanted to. It was a cowardly thing to do but he didn't turn around. He didn't want to confront whoever had come to do exactly that, so he hoped maybe whoever it was would just go away if they were ignored long enough.

"Tony?"

When he heard his best friend's voice he whipped his head around.

Rhodey found another chair, and brought it over where he placed it beside Tony's. He looked at his godson for a few seconds before he looked back at Tony, "He is okay right? They didn't hurt him?"

"Yeah, the SHIELD doctor said other than some minor abrasions and a little bit of bruising, she said that Ethan is okay." He hears his friend exhale a relieve breath.

"Thank God… because if he wasn't…"

"Yeah."

Silence fell between them, as someone else entered the section they were in. It was the the young woman Coulson had called Skye… or at least that's the name Tony thinks he used.

She doesn't say anything to either of them men, probably not wanting to wake the sleeping little boy. Instead, after sending one more icy stare in the billionaire's direction, she slid open the door of one of the other _cabins_ , got inside, and shut the door.

"Wow," Rhodey muttered once she disappeared behind the door, "If I were you, Tones, I'd stay as far away from that one as I could. Because if there were ever a look that could kill, then the just that she just gave you, that… that was the look that would have actually done it. "

"Mmm… yeah."

When it became obvious that was all he was going to say right then, Rhodey decided to say what was on his mind because he wasn't sure when he'd have the opportunity once Tony and Ethan were reunited with Pepper and Eva, "Tony, about what happened back on the landing pad-"

At hearing him bringing that up, Tony finally tore his eyes away from his son, and he looked at his best friend, "I'm not sorry about… what I mean is, I'm _sorry_ that I did what I did to you, but…" He looked back at Ethan, "... but I **don't** regret saving my son's life. Or saving him from a fate more horrible than I first imagined." He felt Rhodey's arm wrap around his shoulders when he shuddered.

"I mean I _hate_ what I had to do to Coulson… and if he doesn't ever trust me again, I won't blame him. But I had to do what they wanted or… or…"

He didn't finish the sentence since they both knew how it ended. Thing was, the most horrible thing about the situation, was the fact no matter the terrible things he had done to save Ethan, it would not have spared his son from being sold into servitude to HYDRA.

So he had betrayed his friends for nothing.

Nothing!

Although Tony wasn't looking at him, Rhodey nodded anyway, "Yeah, I get your reasons for doing that you did. I can even understand _why_ you had to do what you did. While it's true I don't know Coulson as well as you do, I'm sure he probably gets why too."

 _I forgive you._

Even while he was in the middle of betraying Phil, a man he and Pepper both considered to be a friend and their kids called _Uncle_ just like they did with male members of the Avengers, the man had _forgiven_ him. But, they both knew all too well, that just because Coulson might understand why Tony did what he did, and he might have forgiven him for what he did to him, but giving out either one of those things didn't necessarily mean he would escape the consequences of his actions.

Speaking of consequences…

Rhodey cleared his throat, "I know I already told you that I get why you did what you did, and you know it's true because I would have helped you to deliver what they wanted. And, yes, I know you said that you didn't want me involved in that part which is why you used the sonic taser on me. But, Tony, if you ever and I mean _ever_ use one of those sonic tasers on me again, whether your use of the thing is justified or not, I promise you that I will kick your six into the middle of the next millennium the second I can move again . Got it?"

Although he didn't think that was going to be a possibility in the future at any point, Tony still looked back at Rhodey, and nodded, "Yeah, I got it. Believe me, I got it." He would shudder if he let himself recall how, years ago, what it felt like when Obadiah had used one on him so he could steal the arc reactor needed to protect his heart. Instead he smiled when he felt his best friend, his brother give his shoulder a squeeze.

* * *

Rhodey had stayed another half an hour before he excused himself, telling Tony he'd be out in the lounge if he needed him. Tony had barely heard him, but had nodded anyway, never taking his eyes off the face of his little boy. That had been almost half an hour ago, and at last his adrenaline was sticking to dissipate because Tony was finding it harder to keep his owns open.

He didn't want to leave his son, but there was simply no room for him to sleep inside the cabin with Ethan. But his eyes were growing heavier and heavier, so he did the only thing he could come up with him being so tired. He moved the chair as close as he could get it to the bed, and then softly as he could, he laid his head down on Ethan's pillow. He felt a chill as he settled down, and just before he fell into the unconsciousness of sleep, wished he had a blanket. Instead he had to settled for tucking his arms as close to his body as he could get them, exhaled an exhausted sigh, and fell into the oblivion of sleep.

He was sure he had just closed his eyes when he heard someone… Rhodey, he thought, calling him name.

"Tony? Hey, Tones…"

A hand joined the voice, "We've landed. We're almost home."

Tony forced his eyes open, and found his friend's face close by.

"You okay?"

His mouth felt like spun cotton, so he nodded, and started to sit up. The first he noticed besides his neck had a crick in it from how he'd been sleeping, someone most likely Rhodey given how everyone else on the aircraft felt about him, had wrapped a blanket around his shoulders. The blanket fell away as he stretched, and looked over at Ethan. He was surprised to see the little boy was sitting up, and watching them with eyes that still looked tired.

"How are you feeling, buddy?"

"Tiiiiired, Daddy!"

"Yeah, me too, but your Uncle Jimmy says we're almost home," he stated, looking in Rhodey's direction.

Rhodey had a water bottle in his hand that he twisted the lid off of and held out in Tony's direction. Right he must have heard the hoarseness in his voice. Tony nodded his head in thanks, and took a long drink. Once his throat didn't feel like sawdust any longer, he asked, "So what's our status exactly? You said that we're almost home? What does that mean?"

"Well, we're on the ground but we're not at the airport."

"Where are we then?"

"Upstate," Coulson answered the question as he walked into the area, "We've landed upstate New York."

Since SHIELD's status with the government wasn't official, there wasn't a need to ask why they hadn't just gotten permission to land at the airport.

"We're only about an hour's drive away from having you both back home," Coulson supplied before either Tony or Rhodey could ask.

Tony's eyes traveled over to where the remnants of Ethan's dirty, slightly torn clothes were. He wasn't eager for his son to have to get back into them, however it was all they had for him to wear. The SHIELD tee had been find for him to sleep in, but for the trip back home he really needed-

"Sorry it took me so long to get back, but I was finally found something I think will fit."

They all looked over to see the doctor who had examined Ethan earlier enter the area with an actual brown paper bag in her hands. She approached them and held out the paper bag towards Tony.

"What-"

"Clothes for your son," the young woman supplied.

"I asked Agent Simmons to go in the town nearby, and find something for Ethan to wear on the way home so he could be comfortable."

While Phil was talking, Tony opened the bag and looked inside.

"I'm afraid all I could find that I thought would fit was a plain white t-shirt, and a pair of sweatpants."

"They're fine. Thank you," Tony assured her, pulling out the clothes.

"Well, we'll let you get ready to go. Just give a yell when you're done. Okay?"

* * *

"JARVIS, stop the elevator for a moment please."

"Yes, sir."

Tony felt Phil's curious gaze on him as he looked down to make sure Ethan was still asleep before he said, "I know I have no right to ask anything from you, but there are two things I need to ask anyway."

Phil nodded, still not speaking.

"First, when you do whatever you're going to do over the fact I basically sold you out to HYDRA, please leave Rhodey out it. I know that I don't have a right to ask any favors from you but… He really wasn't supposed to be involved, not even in the peripheral way he was in the end." He shrugged, "But I guess that's what happens when you've been friends with someone for over 30 years..."

Phil continued to look at him for a few second then nodded, "General Rhodes's peripheral involvement really isn't an issue, and I've forgotten it already. What is the second thing you want to request?"

Tony swallowed, his eyes returning to Ethan's sleeping face, "That... please you'll just give me three days with them, and after those three days are up, I'll accept any consequences you want to hand out to me, _without_ fighting them."

The Director watched him a second, remembering the moment he first met Tony Stark. He couldn't help comparing that Tony to the man standing before him now. There were many who would say that Tony was still as arrogant and self-absorbed as he'd ever been in those days, but not Phil. Yes, the man was still an irritating, and was still somewhat an arrogant pain to deal with but there was more. Phil could also see beyond Tony's rougher edges. They had started to soften when he'd married Pepper, but after the birth of his children… he couldn't be called a big soft teddy bear but he wasn't the man he had been then.

He was _better_ , so much _better_. .

"All right, Mr. Stark, you'll have your three days with them."

"Thank you." Tony said so quietly Phil almost didn't hear him. "

Coulson nodded, "But you and I still need to have a conversation once they're over."

* * *

"JARVIS, resume please."

Maria Hill looked up from the book she'd been reading when she heard the elevator stop at the penthouse floor. Even though she had already been updated about the successful mission to rescue Ethan Stark and neutralization the _Kreis der Befreiung_ threat, her hand still slide down to where she had her gun at the ready. She released the breath she'd been holding when the doors opened to reveal only the people she'd been expecting. She quickly stowed her gun away before leaning over to wake Pepper.

"They're here," she said with a smile when Pepper opened her eyes.

As soon as Hill's words sank in through the fog of sleep, Pepper turned, gasping at the sight of her son in her husband's arms. "Oh my..." she breathed before flying up off of the sofa and across the room to them.

Maria joined Coulson the elevator, a small smile gracing her features as they watched the family's reunion. However what they witnessed only lasted a moment as Phil pressed the button to take them back down to the ground level, and the doors closed immediately.

"Are you all right, sir?" Hill asked quietly.

"I might be a little worse for the wear overall, but thankfully they didn't have time to really get started before the cavalry showed up."

Maria shook her head, her smile growing, "You know I don't think would let Melinda hear you say that, sir."

Coulson grinned too, then grew serious again. "Your idea for the tracker was a good one, which turned out to be a need one unfortunately."

"And I am glad it was there when it was needed. Otherwise it's a certain fact that you and I wouldn't be having this 's invisibility tech would have fallen into HYDRA's hands."

Phil nodded, understanding once more why she had been Nick Fury's second in command. "Yes, it's a good thing the was there."

Maria cringed as she looked more closely at his busted lip, and the butterfly bandage on his cheek, "Speaking of, you knew we were coming, but you really couldn't help yourself a little by keeping your mouth shut?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Coulson replied.

"Having four bruised and cracked ribs is hardly my idea of fun."

"They're not mine either, really, but everything Spellmeyer said was such an eye rolling inducing cliché in the Hail HYDRA handbook, I couldn't resist. Besides the longer I kept his attention focused on me, the more time I bought for you to get to our location, and thereby I also bought time for Stark and his son. It's not overstatement to say that the male half of the Stark family would have been wiped out tonight. "

Phil fell silent as they exited into the parking garage, and Hill followed suit, knowing they'd continue this conversation in the car as the waiting agents flanked them on the short walk to Coulson's car.

Once they were inside the car, she turned to him with a quizzical eyebrow raised, "What did you mean by that when you said it wasn't an overstatement?"

"What I meant is that everything is worse than we were first led to believe. Spellmeyer was commissioned by HYDRA to execute Tony and deliver Ethan over to them for him to be personally brainwashed by their leader."

Again Maria proved _why_ she had once been the second in command of all of SHIELD when she said, "There's a reason Fury brought Stark in regardless of the profile. His intelligence is that extraordinary. The idea of a Stark's intelligence on the other side... that would be more devastating than we could began to calculate.. But Tony Stark is also set in his ways, and therefore would be more trouble than he's worth since his resistance to any form of brainwashing HYDRA tried would be met with considerable resistance."

"They, unlike Ten Rings, would be able to break him, given enough time and patience. Plus there's the chance they'd fried his mind if they used the same methods on him as they used on Barnes."

Hill nodded, "Which are the same conclusions Director Fury came to. But at what cost to his mind? We know they've done extensive brain damage to Sergeant Barnes to break him into becoming the Winter Soldier. In any case, Tony wasn't a viable option which is why they'd want Ethan Stark. They were banking on the fact that he will be at least as brilliant as his father is, and at it his young age it means he wouldn't have the same capabilities of resisting their efforts to remold his mind in their image like his father would."


	10. Chapter 10

"Should we wake her?" Tony asked after a time, looking over to where his daughter was laid sprawled out on one of the sofas.

Pepper looked over at Eva, smiling at how her little face was barely visible from behind her brother's Air Force bear that she had clutched in her arms. "Normally I'd say no, let her sleep. But when she wasn't asking for you, she's been asking for Ethan several times everyday and she couldn't understand why neither of you weren't home. She might not get back to sleep tonight once she sees you're both home but you know what? I don't care because I don't think I am going to be able to sleep tonight anyway."

Tony nodded in agreement, and then said, "We should probably wake him first or else Eva might scare him." He could just imagine the enthusiastic greeting his little girl was going to give her brother once she saw he was home again. When his wife agreed with him, Tony gently brushed back his son's hair, thinking the boy would need a haircut soon before saying, "Ethan? Sport, do you want to wake up and see your sister?"

While Tony was waking their son, Pepper went over to Eva and sat beside her on the sofa, touching her hair. "Eva, sweetheart, wake up."

The little girl stirred but didn't open her eyes, burying her face further behind the bear.

"Sweetheart, Ethan and Daddy are home." Oh how **wonderful** it felt to be able to say those words!

Eva's snapped open at that, "Eta? Daddy?" The hope in her daughter's voice made Pepper's heart twist because she'd heard it grow less and less present in her little girl's voice over the last six days every time she had had to tell her that no they were home yet .

Blinking away tears, she nodded. "Yes, baby, they're home." She pointed over to where Ethan was just sitting up leaned against his father, and looking at them with bleary eyes.

With Pepper's help, Eva untangled the blanket she'd been wrapped in and when she was free, she bolted off of the sofa, crying out happily, "Eta! Eta! Eta! Eta!" She threw her arms around her brother's neck, and tightly attached herself to him. "You home! You home! You home!" Tony had left the sofa to rejoin Pepper on the other one to allow his kids plenty of room during their reunion.

They watched their children for a few seconds, and exchanged a happy but glassy eyed gaze with one another. Ethan hugged his sister back for those few seconds, but only for a precious few seconds before he'd had enough of Eva's enthusiastic affection.

After sharing another look with his wife, Tony dragged his tired body over towards the sofa where his children were, "Okay, princess, easy up on your brother there. He's really tired."

The little girl backed off of her brother, reluctantly, but she wasn't sad for too long as it dawned on her that her father was home too. She precariously climbed to her feet on top of the sofa and was about to launch herself off of it when Tony swooped in to scoop her up.

"Whoa there, little Miss Stark! What are you doing, trying to jump off the sofa like that?" he asked as sat down on the one she had almost jumped off from.

But the little girl was too busy hugging her Daddy to hear what he was saying to her. Her little arms were wrapped around him as far as they would go, and both of her parents heard her little voice muffled against his shoulder, "Missed you, Daddy!"

Tony looked over at Pepper who was watching them both with adoring yet knowing eyes. Sighing, he tightened his arms around her, closing his eyes, telling her, "Daddy missed you too, baby girl." _I missed you so much._

He wouldn't totally drop the issue of her trying to jump off of the sofa but for now it was on hold so he could just enjoy holding her again.

The moment ended a short time later as Pepper walked over to the sofa where her family was lounging, and knelt down near their son's head. Tony watched as she started carding her fingers through the boy's hair, "Are you hungry, sweetheart?"

Ethan nodded, yawning, "Uh huh."

"Do you think you can stay away long enough for me to make you something to eat?"

The boy nodded, closing his eyes again.

"Are you sure?" Pepper asked gently when it looked like he'd dozed off again.

"Yeah... 'm sure."

Sharing a look with Tony, she said, "Okay, honey, if you're sure. Why don't you sit up beside Daddy while I go make you a peanut butter and honey sandwich?" When he didn't move for a few seconds, they were both sure he'd fallen asleep again but then he started to move to sit up, "Here, sweetie, let me help you up."

Pepper helped him to sit up and then get comfortable on the other side of his Daddy. Tony wrapped his arm around his son and had Eva snuggled by his side underneath the other arm. Once Ethan was settled she kissed his forehead, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

After she disappeared into the kitchen, Eva, who was waking up more and more, started talking to her brother. It was cute and precious to hear her telling her brother about what had been going on while he was gone, but Tony could tell she was quickly starting to annoy him.

"Eva sweetie," he began slowly, trying to head off the inevitability of his son snapping at his sister, "I know you missed your brother while he was gone, but sweetpea, you need to let him relax and enjoy some quiet. He's really tired because a lot happened for him too while he wasn't here with you and Mommy. Okay, sweetie?"

"Okay, Daddy."

She didn't sound all that happy about having to stop talking to her brother but she didn't continue to jabber on. When it had been quiet for a few moments, Tony remembered he almost jumping off of the sofa earlier, and decided that maybe was a good time as any to talk to her about it since she was so awake.

The love of his life returned in the middle of what he was saying. He looked up at her, and Pepper held back to let him finish what he was telling their daughter. He nodded to her when he was finished, although it was unnecessary since Eva was looking a little sullen about the whole thing.

Once Tony gave her another nod, Pepper finished walking over to the sofa, and squeezed in beside Ethan. The boy opened his eyes when she sat down.

"Here is your sandwich, sweetheart," she said quietly, setting a plate down on his lap.

Normally she would have included either some baby carrots or apple slices with the sandwich but she knew her son was exhausted so it was just the sandwich with the crust cut off.

"Thank you, Mommy."

She wanted to tell him that he didn't need to say thank you but kept quiet not wanting to contradict what they've been teaching either of their kids about being polite. So instead she said, "You're very welcome, honey."

"Well, while Ethan is eating his sandwich I think I am going to go put the little miss here to bed."

It was a surprise but Eva had started to nod off in the time since her mother's coming back and Ethan finishing half of the sandwich. Now was a good time to get the little girl in bed before she started to wake up again.

Tony gathered her in his arms, and had been about to get up from the sofa when Ethan's hand had shot out. The boy's fingers attached themselves to his sleeve, and when he looked over to Ethan, his face had wast pale. Although they were still sitting on the sofa, he made sure that he kept a secure hold on Eva, before he gently taking his son's hand, "What's wrong, buddy?"

"Don't go," Ethan replied.

Although his mouth was full of the peanut and honey sandwich, both of his parents could make out what he had said. Tony considered telling him that he was just going to put his sister to bed and he'd be right back, but one look into the boy's panicked eyes made him hesitate.

"I can take her," Pepper said softly, after witnessing the interaction between them and had seen the panicked look on her son's face. "Tony?"

"What? Oh, yeah okay. Thanks," he replied before kissing Eva's brow, murmuring a quiet goodnight to her, "I love you, princess." He then eased her into his wife's arms, brushing her hair out of her before giving her another kiss and settling back down beside Ethan on the sofa. "Finished with your sandwich, bud?"

A quarter of the sandwich laid abandoned on his plate, and he was making no movements to pick it back up. Instead, the little boy nodded, and muttered, "Uh huh."

After moving the plate aside, and sensing his son was still feeling distressed, Tony pulled him closer into his side. He wrapped his arms around the small body, and for a little while neither one of them said anything.

The quiet of the moment ended when Tony felt the small frame snuggled against him begins to tremble, and he heard what sounded like sniffling. Lifting a hand to the boy's dark hair, he started running his fingers through it, "How are you feeling, Ethan?"

The boy shrugged in reply.

"Are you still feeling a little scared?"

He felt a nod.

"You're safe now, son. I promise you, you **are** safe. No one is going to get to you or sissy here because I will fight anyone who tries to get either one of you and so would Mommy. So-"

"As would _I_ , Sir," JARVIS interrupted, "If I had breath, I would fight to my last breath to protect Master Ethan and Miss Eva from harm."

"I..." He could hear not only the depth of sincerity in the electronic butler's voice, but also the depth of what could not be anything else but genuine _emotion_ or _love_. He had to stop there because of how tight his throat felt from the emotions the AI's words invoked. Finally, swallowing hard, he breathed out a hoarse, "Thanks, J."

JARVIS didn't respond audibly, allowing his creator to return his attention back to his son.

Clearing his throat, he started again, "See there? Between me, your Mom, and JARVIS-" _And let's not forget the several floors of Avengers beneath our feet this very moment..._ "you're totally safe. No one is going to get close to you or your sister unless _we_ say they can. Okay?"

He felt Ethan nodded against him, and may have heard a muffled _"Okay."_ in response. Smiling with relief, he closed his eyes, and let the quiet stand for a moment. It ended it when he heard his son yawn.

"Ready to go to bed?"

The boy nodded again, "Mmhmm."

"Well, let me go put this-" He picked up the plate with the sandwich quarter on it, "in the kitchen so your Mom won't get upset, and we'll go get you tucked into your bed. Okay?"

"Okay."

Tony untangled himself from his son, drawing only a small sound of unhappiness, and got up, "I'll be right back, buddy, I promise."

Ethan frowned, hugging one of the decorative pillows, nodding.

When he was sure his son would be okay for the few seconds he was gone, Tony went into the kitchen. He dumped the little bit of sandwich into the garbage, and placed the plate in the sink. The fact it was there would probably drive Pepper up the wall but it was far more important that he return to Ethan as soon as possible.

It was only a few seconds Tony was in a room over from him but it felt much longer, and the relief he felt when he had Ethan back in his sight was probably ridiculous, but he still felt relieved when he returned to the living room. He walked over to the sofa, and held out his hand, "Ready?"

The little boy nodded, dropping the pillow onto the sofa, and grabbed onto his father's hand. They started down the hallway, and were almost to the door of Ethan's room when JARVIS spoke up.

"Sir, one moment please. You and Master Ethan have been requested to join Mrs. Stark in the master suite."

Tony imagined the puzzled look on his son's face mirrored his own. But with a shrug, he said, "Let's go see what your Mom wants."

"Hey Pep-" He stopped there when he saw his wife because laying right beside her was a tiny body dressed in pink unicorn pajamas that he knew all too well. His eyes met his wife's, and she held up a finger indicating for them both to be quiet while motioning them forward.

"She's been sleeping with me during this whole... ordeal," Pepper explained when they got close enough to hear her when she talked quietly. She looked at her son, then back at her husband, "I thought maybe Ethan would like to sleep with us tonight too since Eva already is? Would you, honey?"

Ethan nodded, yawning, "Uh huh."

"Well okay, then. Let's both go get changed into our PJs. We'll be back in a few, hon."

"Okay, we'll be here."

Six minutes later they walked back into the bedroom, and for a second, Tony thought his wife had fallen asleep herself. Pepper opened her eyes when they got closer, smiling at them both.

Since Eva was in the middle of the bed next to her mother, Tony suggested quietly to their son, "Why don't you get in next to sissy, champ?"

"Okay."

"Be careful. Don't make the bed move too much and wake up your sister."

The little boy crawled into the spacious bed carefully, and laid down beside his sister. He looked over at his mother as his father joined his family on the other side of him.

"Everyone comfy?" Tony asked after he himself was laying down beside his kids.

"Uh huh," Ethan confirmed with another yawn.

"Well, let's all try to get some sleep," Pepper said.

"Okay. Night, Mommy. Night, Daddy."

"Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you."

"Love you too, Mommy."

Pepper looked at Tony one more time, then laid her head down.

"Goodnight, Ethan. I... I love you." _Beside your Mom and sister, there isn't anything in this world I love more._

Ethan snuggled closer to him, yawning again before muttering, "Love you too, Daddy."

Tony lifted his arm so his son could get even closer if he wanted and he did. Ethan moved closer, using his Daddy's shoulder as his pillow for the night, which suited Tony fine. He wrapped his arm around his son, so relieved to have him safe and sound, away from those awful men who were about to sell him into lifelong servitude to HYDRA.

"Sweet dreams," he added, but Ethan was already asleep.

Tony closed his eyes, hoping for sleep even while knowing he wouldn't be getting any tonight.

Not after everything thing he'd done to get Ethan back.


End file.
